There are two ways to hike the Ozette Loop in Olympic National Park. The first is as a day hike, which takes 4-5 hours. But I prefer the second way – as a backpacking trip. That way you get to camp on wilderness beaches and really savor the scenery. The Ozette Loop is gorgeous! I …
Backpacking
Like many outdoor sports, there are a lot of confusing hiking terms to learn. I spend a lot of time writing about hiking and teaching hiking skills and it can be easy to forget that not everyone knows all the hiking slang, jargon, and terminology. To help everyone out, I put together a comprehensive glossary …
I’m not a parent, but thanks to some good friends with children, I’ve spent quite a bit of time backpacking with kids. I wanted to write a post about how to start backpacking as a family, but I realized that I knew someone much more qualified for the job: Elliott, a 12-year-old backpacker. I’ve been …
So you want to try backpacking… exciting right? But it can also be daunting as there is lots to learn. I’ve been backpacking for almost 20 years, but I still remember what it was like to start out. I’ll walk you through it in this guide to backpacking for beginners. This handbook for first-time backpackers …
After a long winter, I’m usually in a rush for summer to start so I can go backpacking. But it can be frustrating since most trails are snow-covered well into June and July. However, if you know where to look, there are lots of places to go on spring backpacking trips in British Columbia. In …
Ever since I discovered backpacking nearly 20 years ago, it’s been my favourite outdoor activity. Some of my most memorable backpacking trips have been close to home in British Columbia. So I put together a list of the best backpacking trips in BC. If you’re going to take time off to go backpacking, you don’t …
The Juan de Fuca Trail covers 47 challenging kilometres along the coast of southwestern Vancouver Island. I hiked the trail in 2009 and 2021, so I put together a Juan de Fuca Trail itinerary to help you get prepared for your trip. I also have several Juan de Fuca itinerary options for trips between 3 …
The Juan de Fuca Trail is a multi-day hike along the west coast of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It is a challenging backpacking trip through the rainforest and across beaches. Along its 47 kilometre length you will experience lots of gorgeous scenery, old-growth trees, sandy beaches, and mud. I hiked the Juan de …
The North Coast Trail is a challenging 43km multi-day backpacking trip along the northern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia. I hiked the trail in 2008 and 2021. I’ve put together a section-by-section overview of the North Coast Trail to give you a taste of the trail and help you get prepped for your …
The North Coast Trail is a multi-day wilderness hike across the very northern tip of Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. It’s a challenging and remote hike through old-growth rainforest, along beaches, and across muddy coastal bogs. The 43-kilometre-long hike is difficult but beautiful. I hiked the trail in 2008 and 2021, so I’ve put …